Margaret Allen Clay

She died in 1721.

General Notes

Research of Elizabeth C. Jones

1679 "Nansemond Quaker Women, 1679. contributed by Mrs. Virginia Pope Livingston, Chester, Virginia: 'In the library of Friends' House in London, the Quaker "headquarters", there is a letter (Box MSS/38)" From our Womans meeting in the western Branch of Nancimund River in Virginia: to the womans meetings in England, in the north country at Swarthmore, London, Bristall or else where wee ma bee may bee received in the House of God etc." The body of the letter is entirely religious, with nothing about Virginia or the signers of the letter, but because of the loss of the Nansemond records and the loss of many of the Quaker records of this period, the names themselves are important to genealogists. Friends" House graciously granted permission to publish the letter, in whole or in part. The following is taken verbatim from the letter, although the religious preoration is omitted: This was ordered of our womans meetting in the western branch of Nancimumt in Virginia to be written & sent to the womans meetings in England The: 11: of the: 4: month: 1679' The names of 42 women followed. Five of these are recognizable from the items included in the events chronologized here. They are: Susanna Bressey, Elizabeth Murry, Margaret Coker, Margaret Yarratt, Sarah Campion. Reference: The Virginia Genealogist April-June 1973, Volumn 17, Number 2 Note: According to Hinshaw "Friends at Nansemun" was the Quaker term for all Southside Virginia Quakers - from p. 22, Chuckatuck Monthly Meeting.

21 September 1721 - Will of Margaret Coker written.

20 December 1721 Will of Margaret Coker Proved

D&W 1715-1730, p. 384, Surry County, Virginia

In the Name of God Amen I Margaret Coker of Lawnes Creek parish in the County of Surry Widdow being Sick and Weak in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given to God therefore calling unto mind the mortallity of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all people once to die I do make and Ordain this my Last Will and Testament that is to Say principally & first of all I Give and recommend my Soul into the hands of God my maker and my body to ye Earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner at the discretion of my Executor hereafter named and as for my worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this Life I Give devise & dispose of the same in the following manner and form.Omprimis I Give and bequeath to my Grandson John Coker fifty Acres of Land lying in the County of Surry being the Land whereon he now liveth beginning at James Bennit his line and so runing Eastwardly to the pocoson Spring branch to Samuel Vasers line by him freely to be possessed and Enjoyed by him & his heirs & Assigns for Ever.Item I Give and bequeath unto John Coker Junr: that is the Son of my Grandson John Coker two hundred & thirty Acres of Land lying in Surry County on the West side of the Cypres Swamp ½ joyning upon John Phillips his Land on the South side and Cyprus Swamp and the East saide and Samuel Vassers Land on the North side and William Cokers Land on the West side to him and his heirs Lawfully begotten and if the said John Coker shall dye without Issue thenI Give the said Land to his brother Thomas Coker & to his heirs Lawfully begotten And I do appoint John Coker the Father of the said Child and Anthony Evens to hold and keep the Land in their possession untill the said John Coker Junr: shall be at the age of Eighteen Years.Item I Give and bequeath unto my Grand son John one brass kittle and one bell mettle Skillet and one smoothing Iron and one bible and one trunk, and one new rug. all these things being at my Son William Cokers I Give and bequeath to my Son William Coker.Item I Give and bequeath unto my Grand Son John Coker all the rest of my Estate in Generall And I do hereby Appoint Constitute make and Ordain my Grand Son John Coker my only and Sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revoak and disanull all and every other former Willa by me before this time made Wwilled and bequeathed Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament in Witness whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand and Seal this21st day of September in theYear of our Lord 1721.Signed Sealed publisned pronounced and declared by the said Margaret Coker as her Last Will and Testament in the presence of herThos. Atkinson Margaret CokerJohn Phillips markPrescilla Coker

At a Court held at Southwark for the County of Surry December ye 20th 1721, The within mentioned Will of Margarett Coker Decd. thus presented by John Coker Excutor thereof who made Oat thereto and being proved by the Oaths of Thos.Atkinson and John Phillips Witnesses thereto the same is ordered to be recorded and is Recorded by Jno: Allen, Cl. Cur.

(This will was copied at the same time, November 1994, as John Coker's will by Doris Y. Stone and as was the case with John's the recorded will was seen at the Surry CH August 1995 and seen to be correct as copied by Doris.)

A true and just Inventory of the Estate of Margaret Coker Decd: One feather bed and furniture one brass kettle one bellmettle Skilletts 4 pewter dishes 3 glasses one Tankard too trunks one chest. One bochs, smoothing Iron, one spitt one frying pan 6 bottles, one new stuffgound and pettycoat one Seragegound and pettycoat one old stuffgound and pettycoal one pair of flish forks and Iron ladle and one brass scimmer 7 vessells of Earthenware, and two windlets, 4 old barrells too Ivory Combs too pewter porringers too leather chairs one pewter Chamber pot one pair of bodoysis one silk handkerchief one Looking glass two dringing glasses one bible 2 books. One nutmeg grater one knife and fork one pen knife one vinegar cruse one tin pepper box one holland shirt too And Irons 14 linen handkerchiefs and 15 head dresses, 6; Aprons and {next page} too pair of wash leather gloves too yards of blue Linen one branding Iron one old sidesaddle one old pair of fire tongs one hir cloth syder bag one turned wooden bole one tray two meal sifters one Iron pot rack one pillyon one piece of an old Cross cut Saw, one pair of shoes, 3 pairs of stockings, one pair of Spectacles, one Earthen salt Seller one old tin Tankard one old Callicoe Cote too beceats, one writing book one pair of Sizers, 6 shifts two Candlesticks one mash too is hoods 2 boxes John Coker

At a Court held at Southwark for the County of Surry May the 16th 1722. The within mentioned Inventory of the Estate of Margaret Coker Deced. Thus presented by John Coker Ext. of the Last Will and Testament of the said Deced: was ordered to be recorded and is recorded by Jon: Allenn CL Court